


December 3

by VR_Trakowski



Series: Advent 2015 [3]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Advent Calendar, Ficlet, Gen, Mistletoe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-03
Updated: 2015-12-03
Packaged: 2018-05-04 21:00:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5348348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VR_Trakowski/pseuds/VR_Trakowski
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dummy wants something.</p>
            </blockquote>





	December 3

**Author's Note:**

> So I haven’t done this since...hmm...2010? Wow. Basically it’s a ficlet a day from December 1 to December 24, all at least vaguely related to the theme of Advent and/or Christmas. I used to do drabbles, but those cause me serious pain, so this time I’ll just try to keep them short.
> 
> Fandoms and pairings will be whatever takes the muse’s fancy, and I reserve the right to stop early due to lack of time/interest/sleep. Feel free to run with the idea yourself if you feel so moved!
> 
> [Insert appropriate disclaimers here. I’ve got better things to do than violate copyright.]
> 
> (Don't give me any of that newfangled spelling.)

Pepper strolled through one of the private floors of Stark Tower, blessedly barefoot after hours in stilettos, and looked around with mingled weariness and satisfaction.  

The holiday party had been epic, as Tony’s parties always were, but it was the first one he’d thrown since they’d become a couple, and it had felt a bit odd to be the hostess instead of just the coordinator.  

But it had all come off without a hitch.  Pepper had had the pleasure of dancing with her fiancé as well as with Bruce, and Jarvis in his new form; and all the fun of watching Rhodey flirt with Natasha, while a slightly tipsy Maria tried to teach Thor all the verses to the Twelve Days of Christmas.  

She _really_ hoped that Friday had recorded that last.  

Now the cleaning robots moved among the debris, tidying as they went; Tony’s programming wasn’t _quite_ up to Pepper’s white-glove standard, but the human cleaning crew could polish the details in the morning.  Pepper yawned, and told herself it was time for bed.  

The whir of a servomotor made her turn.  Dummy was making his way through the busy cleaning ‘bots, something green held in his gripper.  Pepper smiled, pleased to see him; Tony had done a perfect job putting Dummy back together after the destruction of the Malibu mansion, and the ‘bot worked as good as new.  

“Hi, Dummy,” she said, and he chirped.  It always amazed Pepper how well the ‘bots could emote for things that had no faces at all; Dummy’s little rock back and forth evoked hesitation.  “What is it?”  

Dummy burbled and extended his arm.  The greenery he held was...mistletoe, Pepper realized.  “Cute.  Did Tony send you?”  

The arm lowered in a clear negative, then rose again.  Dummy rolled forward a foot or so, and Pepper cocked her head, trying to figure out what he wanted.  

“One of these days I’m going to make Tony put a voder on you,” she muttered, though she suspected that Dummy wasn’t up to words beyond one syllable.  “I don’t--”  

And then it came clear.  Maybe it was the champagne, maybe it was just the hour, but all of a sudden it was a perfectly reasonable idea.  “Oh.”  

Pepper grinned, and stepped forward until she was standing directly under the ‘bot’s arm and its scrap of greenery.  Then she bent down and placed a kiss on Dummy’s casing, just below the arm.  

Dummy whirred with delight, and Pepper patted him.  “Happy holidays.  Don’t tell Tony.”  

Dummy backed away far enough to bow, and Pepper laughed and went to find her fiancé.  


End file.
